Coin collecting machines, such as coin redemption machines, automated teller machines (ATMs), vending machines, gaming machines, and toll booth machines, include coin storage devices or bins for collecting the coins inserted into the machines. To allow for efficient use of the machine, bins are designed to capture a significant number of coins. For example, bins can be constructed to store the average number of coins used during a single shift or during an entire day. At the end of each shift or day of operation, the coin bin is typically removed from the coin collecting machine to allow the coins to be processed or deposited into an account.
To increase efficiency and limit costs, it is desirable for the coin bin to be handled by a single person, even someone not skilled in moving coins. The coin bins, however, can be extremely heavy, particularly when full. Full bins can, in fact, weigh hundreds of pounds, and are therefore difficult to handle based merely on their weight. Complicating this issue, also due to the weight, the bins pick up speed quickly and easily when on a ramped or sloped surface. The bins, moreover, are typically located in hard-to-access areas inside of the coin collecting machine, and can be difficult to access and retrieve. The coins, moreover, are typically piled in a single location in the bin, and therefore may cause instability when the bin is moved. Therefore, maneuvering the bins into and out of a coin collecting machine can be difficult.
It is desirable, therefore, to provide a coin bin that is easy to maneuver, that can be steered over a wide angle, and that is easy to brake or stop in a safe and automatic manner. The bin, moreover, must be easy to store within a confined area. It is also desirable to provide multiple bins within the storage area, to distribute the weight of the coins, and therefore to be able to arrange the bins in tandem or other configurations. The present invention addresses these issues.